Recent Articles and News
We're keeping you up to date with the latest articles and news relevant to your sheep and wool business.
Newsletters
A disciplined approach to Merino breeding and selection
On Tasmania’s East Coast, the Fergusson family has developed a highly structured and disciplined approach to Merino breeding and selection, underpinned by a clear long-term objective, strategic selection index and visual classing information.
Newsletters
Pre-joining management the key to reducing risk of Border disease
Border disease virus has recently been confirmed in Tasmania, following the investigation of a large composite ewe flock that experienced abortions, high lamb losses and the birth of multiple ‘hairy shaker’ lambs.
Newsletters
Getting to know your Chairman
George Millington has been a member of the AWI Board since 2023 and is well known across the industry as the owner and manager of Collinsville Merino Stud in South Australia. First and foremost a woolgrower, George brings a strong understanding of the commercial realities of running a modern Merino enterprise.
Newsletters
Measurement, focus and fibre diameter: how Will and Nina Bennett are keeping wool in their enterprise mix
At a time when many producers are reassessing the role of wool in their business, Tasmanian woolgrowers Will and Nina Bennett have taken a different path. Rather than stepping away from wool, the Bennett family made a deliberate decision to stay in the industry but changed how they managed it.
Newsletters
Preparing your pregnant ewes for success
Getting ewe nutrition right during pregnancy is one of the most powerful ways to lift lamb survival and wool production. This article outlines practical targets for ewe condition scoring, managing nutrition and scanning for multiples, along with strategies to manage metabolic disease risk during late pregnancy and early lactation.
Newsletters
Production hypocalcaemia: when high-performing ewes run short of calcium
Hypocalcaemia is often thought of as a ‘late-pregnancy problem’ triggered by yarding, transport, shearing, sudden feed changes, crutching or grain feeding without enough limestone for six weeks or more. But that is only part of the story...
Newsletters
Most common diseases and conditions seen in sheep in 2025
The Tasmanian Livestock Health Report summarises information on livestock diseases and conditions observed by rural service providers across Tasmania. Following is a summary of the most common diseases and conditions seen in sheep in Tasmania during 2025.
Newsletters
Maximising your clip’s value: understanding wool prices and managing risk
The price you receive for your clip isn’t just about what the market does—it’s about how well your clip aligns with buyer demand. This article explores how to maximise returns by aligning your clip with market demand, the impact of staple strength and contamination control. It provides practical steps to move beyond production risk using tools like forward contracts and price hedging to protect margins and make informed decisions in a volatile global market.
Newsletters
East Coast woolgrower joins AWI Extension TAS Producer Advisory Panel
East Coast woolgrower, Will Fergusson, has been appointed to the AWI Extension Tasmania Producer Advisory Panel (PAP), bringing strong regional representation, strategic insight and a deep commitment to Merino wool production.
Newsletters
From complexity to clarity with data-driven decision making
Data is a powerful tool for scaling a business — but only when it is integrated into a strategic, actionable workflow. By moving away from collecting ‘useless’ data and creating a strategic and actionable work flow based on meaningful measurement, Will Bignell, Bothwell, Tasmania has built a “big simple system” that rewards discipline, efficiency and informed decision-making.
Newsletters
Parvovirus a real risk for Tasmanian working dogs
Parvovirus infection has been reported in dogs in northern Tasmania and has already resulted in the death of at least one valuable young working dog. Dr Bruce Jackson, consulting veterinarian, says producers should not underestimate the seriousness of the disease.
“Parvovirus is one of the ‘big three’ killer diseases of dogs, along with distemper and canine infectious hepatitis,” Bruce explained.
Newsletters
Beyond the ram release: managing the joining window for better conception rates
For many woolgrowers, joining starts the day the rams go out, but targeting better scanning results starts well before the rams are released and reproductive performance is influenced well before — and well after — you let the boys loose.